Liver cirrhosis occurs due to a variety of disorders including fatty liver, viral hepatitis or alcoholism etc. The reasons behind why some people are more susceptible than others to develop cirrhosis have been subject of immense speculation. Coffee drinking has been suggested as one of the protective factors and this large epidemiologic study from California lends support to the hypothesis.

Cirrhosis-coffee study

The health plan had detailed data on over 12500 persons during a period of 1978-1985. None of them had liver disease at that time. Of those, 330 had developed cirrhosis by the year 2001. Statistical analysis was done to find out the risk factors that contributed to the development of cirrhosis.

Results of Cirrhosis-coffee study

The protection against cirrhosis occurred when people drank at least 1-3 cups per day and the impact was even higher for 4 or more cups of coffee per day.

The protective effect was limited to alcoholic cirrhosis and no impact was seen for nonalcoholic cirrhosis.

There was no effect of tea on cirrhosis.

Dr. Minocha's comments

The protective effect may not be due to caffeine since both tea and coffee contain it. The study suggests there is a component of coffee that protects against cirrhosis.

Liver cirrhosis occurs due to a variety of disorders including fatty liver, viral hepatitis or alcoholism etc. The reasons behind why some people are more susceptible than others to develop cirrhosis have been subject of immense speculation. Coffee drinking has been suggested as one of the protective factors and this large epidemiologic study from California lends support to the hypothesis.

Cirrhosis-coffee study

The health plan had detailed data on over 12500 persons during a period of 1978-1985. None of them had liver disease at that time. Of those, 330 had developed cirrhosis by the year 2001. Statistical analysis was done to find out the risk factors that contributed to the development of cirrhosis.

Results of Cirrhosis-coffee study

The protection against cirrhosis occurred when people drank at least 1-3 cups per day and the impact was even higher for 4 or more cups of coffee per day.

The protective effect was limited to alcoholic cirrhosis and no impact was seen for nonalcoholic cirrhosis.

There was no effect of tea on cirrhosis.

Dr. Minocha's comments

The protective effect may not be due to caffeine since both tea and coffee contain it. The study suggests there is a component of coffee that protects against cirrhosis.